Scouting Report Evaluated 08/23/2018. He could play as a standup outside linebacker on odd fronts, too. Has an excellent skip move to win around the edge. Going further, Smiths length, while not a liability, is average. Sign up for the Lions Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. But he triumphantly announced his return at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, logging a 4.39 40-yard dash, 41.5 vertical, and a 108 broad jump at his size. Georgia edge Nolan Smith might not be the top defensive prospect in the 2023 class, but he should make a case to be a top-10 pick. List of teams that have advanced to second round of 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Updated bracket heading into second round of 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, How to watch Avalanche vs. Kraken in Game 7 of first round in 2023 NHL Playoffs via live stream, Kings outlook heading into 2023 offseason, Everything you need to know for Warriors vs. Lakers in the second round of 2023 NBA playoffs. 12 overall pick. In 2019 as a freshman Smith saw action in 14 games and played a total of 287 snaps for the Bulldogs. A fully-developed Smith can be a dangerous weapon to deploy off the edge versus opposing offenses. He has always been viewed as a project who possesses rare speed and athleticism for an edge defender. He should not go lower than early in Round 2. Smith has a tough, proactive mentality in run defense and isnt afraid to square up larger blockers. Was Eagles-Bears trade that netted Jalen Carter at 9 a win-win trade? Good bend to turn a tight corner and take an efficient path to the quarterback. With Marcus Davenport becoming a pending free agent and a lacking pass rush from, the . His get-off is much slower and more deliberate on running downs, which makes it more difficult for him to win around the edge if the offense does pass and leads to a slower run-pass transition versus play action. And in the right hands, he can be an invaluable defensive piece. Needs to be more consistent with the accuracy of his hand swipes when starting pass-rush moves. Smith had seven tackles for a loss and three sacks over eight games in his final collegiate season. Grade. To add to his power and physicality, he is an explosive downhill athlete. As his testing numbers at the NFL Combine exemplify, Smith is a tremendous athlete. Lets dive in and discuss. Brian Fonseca may be reached at bfonseca@njadvancemedia.com. Could afford to add some weight to help him hold ground against base blocks from the bigger and elite NFL offensive tackles. (42%*), 9 Impressive change of direction and quickness to win with inside and outside stick moves, especially if he can be more consistent with his use of hands. Most effective when uncovered inside and chasing stretch plays to the sideline. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. On passing downs, he times up the snap well and has good acceleration off the ball to win with speed. https://lionswire.usatoday.com/2023/04/09/nolan-smith-scouting-report-2023-nfl-draft-profile/, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy, Very sudden off the snap with an excellent 1-2 step burst, Outstanding athletic testing: 4.39 40-yard dash, 41.5 vertical, Plays stronger than his size would indicate, Aggressive edge-setter versus the run who can anchor and stand up blockers with his leverage, Has spatial awareness and decent instincts when dropping into coverage, Good at getting off blocks and closing on the ball carrier in run defense, Can work in concert with linemen and reacts quickly when given an opportunity to play off those inside moves, Excelled on special teams early in his Georgia career, Extremely undersized to be a full-time EDGE in the NFL and will almost have to play as a stand-up, wide-aligned OLB to rush the passer, Short arms (32) limit his tackle radius and wrapping ability, Doesnt play to his timed speed consistently, Relies on initial jolting power to create space for himself, must develop countermoves and more variety, Some tightness in his hips and ankles in turning the corner and in open-field pursuit, Coming off a torn pectoral muscle that required surgery, Low college production for such an athlete with talent around him to get him isolated blocking looks. He will make his impact felt as a run defender and earn his keep, as he develops in the pass-rush department. Nolan Smith: Scouting Report Though undersized for a 3-4 outside linebacker at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds, Smith has genuinely rare athletic traits. Furthermore, he doesnt always play to his full explosive capacity off the line. News never stops. He's not going to miss many tackles. The silver lining for Smith is this: Hes already an excellent run defender. In 38 career games, the speedy Smith totaled 12.5 sacks, 20 TFLs and 110 total tackles while forcing three fumbles and breaking up three passes. More than anything, Smith needs to keep refining his pass-rushing ability. Once the top-ranked recruit coming out of high school, Smith saw immediate action upon arrival in Athens. No. Projecting to his third year, Smith can be a full-time edge defender that will not come off the field. He can also be more consistent in applying his bend with synergy and loses his balance when attempting to bend around the edge at times.
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